Green star polyp help

[dvgyfresh]

Hi everyone!

I am very new to reefing and have a 2 1/2 month old tank . I am trying to have my green star polyps fully open any advice would be appreciated . Tank specs : 29 gallon with 2 wave makers and hob filter , 35 lbs of live rock , using hipargero 30w LED light. I am dosing Seachem phytoplankton and Kent marines trace elements for coral. I do weekly water changes of RODI water of 5 gallons. Any help is appreciated thanks !

 

[Rogued_Reefer]

Ok so first things first...

what are your parameters?
Salinity, nitrates, phosphates, alkalinity and calcium.

why are you dosing trace elements on such a new tank?

when you say 5 gallon rodi water change you mean saltwater made with rodi right?

 

[dvgyfresh]

I don’t have a alk or calcium test kit which is why I’m adding the essential elements once every two weeks. And salinity is at 1.025 I have brang it down from 1.026/1.027 over the past two weeks. My bad it is water purchased from a LFS and it is saltwater. Nitrates keep coming up at 0 which is strange because I feel like I add a lot to the tank . Other tank mates include a small snowflake eel, 2 clown fish, damsel, 3 turbo snails and a couple hermit crabs.

 

[highest_tides]

Could be your nitrates bottomed out. I notice mine loves nitrate between 10-20ppm. Hope that helps.

 

[Oldreefer44]

One of the necessities of reefing is an Alk test kit. If GSP isn't growing more then likely something is off with your water parameters. Many of us consider them so invasive a pest that are hard to get rid of once they are established.

 

[mike550]

GSP was one of my first corals and I really love it. That said, it can be temperamental (retracts for random reasons) but after a few days will extend again. So my first suggestion is not to touch it or move it. Just let it settle in if it’s fairly new to your tank. It also likes flow — so don’t be afraid of that. As @highest_tides pointed out my nitrates are around 10. So that could be an issue. Don’t worry too much. It will come back.

 

[Rogued_Reefer]

Like others said GSP is considered invasive by many Reefers just like Xenia and other softies. Bottomed out nitrates and phosphates could be a reason for it to stay close but you could face bigger issues if kept at true 0 for too long. I’d recommend getting an accurate reading of nitrates and phosphates so we can continue to help

 

[Rogued_Reefer]

Another thing to point out is your tank is fairly new so Any Coral can act up from time to time since the tank isn’t mature enough yet

 

[Sleeping Giant]

I don’t have a alk or calcium test kit which is why I’m adding the essential elements once every two weeks. And salinity is at 1.025 I have brang it down from 1.026/1.027 over the past two weeks. My bad it is water purchased from a LFS and it is saltwater. Nitrates keep coming up at 0 which is strange because I feel like I add a lot to the tank . Other tank mates include a small snowflake eel, 2 clown fish, damsel, 3 turbo snails and a couple hermit crabs.

If possible, get a marine test kit and a cal, alk, mag test kit. It's your best source of information, and the best source for us to help, even LFS can setup saltwater aquariums wrong, as is the case in my city. I never ask them for opinions, last time I asked them something it was if they had Coral dip, and they didn't know what that was...but yet they sell corals, weird.